Nico was a man on a mission.

Just not one he had much help on. One doesn't realize how much prophecies have helped guide heroes on other quests until they're on a prophecy-less quest. Except he couldn't recall anyone who'd go on a quest without a prophecy to start it.

He knew he needed to leave somehow, but he wasn't sure what he could and couldn't do. What his limits were, what the rules were.

Well, he knew that they couldn't really control him, and that he was his own person and whatever, but he..

didn't really wanna disappoint them. Even if they didn't really know each other.

Nico hadn't really had someone who put him first. At least until Will, the sunshine in his life ( not the other way around like Will liked to suggest) had appeared. Had been there.

And then it was completely torn away from him, and he couldn't help but despair.

But there were people here who would see him as him first. Well, they didn't know of his parentage, but they were mortals (which, he really needed to figure out how they'd gotten powers, or 'quirks') so they got a pass. They didn't regard him with suspicion like anyone else who would've been there at the scene (then again, he did try to fight– maybe he'd proved himself to them). Whatever the reason was, they treated him nicely, and he felt warm at that.

(Nico wouldn't know this until wayyyy later, but he'd had become a certain couple's priority as well.)

After training was lunch (which they thankfully had time to shower), and he was integrated into a weird mishmash of students, and the awkwardness made it clear to him that some of them didn't always sit together.

It was mainly more introductions (because the class time had been used for informing them about the exam thing, and he knew firsthand how scary a date looming over them, creeping closer and closer could be, so they really had to use all the time they got), and generally just talking about their motivations, what they've done the past few weeks.

Uraraka speaking about how she was a hero because she wanted to earn money for her parents, and wondering as a child who the heroes could rely on, hit a wound deep inside him that nearly brought tears to his eyes.

Nico could see parts of Bianca in her, and just knew that if she had a little sibling, she'd do everything for them. Almost more of an echo, though. Bianca was, to put it bluntly, a badass when she wanted to be. He could see Uraraka like that too, except she was softer. Maybe softer as she'd grown and matured (..which Bianca would never be able to do. Dammit.)

"What about you? Do you wanna be a hero?"

The demigod tilted his head, eyes growing distant. "I don't know." He felt like one burden had vanished, only to be replaced with another. Nico had never been the sole focus of a prophecy before. He wasn't sure how the others managed to deal with the pressure. "If you asked me a few years ago, I'd say 'yeah' because it sounded cool. ..Then, I guess.. My sister died. Sacrificing herself to save others. She.. was a hero-in-training. I blamed the world for taking her away, for some saying that she'd died a hero's death."

(A certain green-haireds' eyes would widen in recognition, as if realizing the similarities of this story and another. Of a little boy with black hair, torn too early from his loved ones.)

"Well, now I know that it wasn't really anyone's fault. It was just a set of awful circumstances, but it ruined how I viewed the world. (Percy) The hero was really strong though for having taken the brunt of my anger. I don't know if I could do that."

A somber note filled the air. "..I'm sorry. If I'd known–"

"Er, there's no point. There really is no way for you to have known. I'm over it already. I guess, though.. If something happens in front of me, it's not like I'm gonna run away. Especially if I was the only one there capable. I wouldn't run after it, but I wouldn't blatantly avoid it, if that makes sense? If I have to be a hero to help people, then I'll do it."

Anyway, he'd come to realize that most of them had more to what they were saying. Kirishima wanted to be like Crimson Riot, but he'd wanted to inspire chivalry in people, to make them act .

Uraraka wanted to earn cash, but she wanted to earn cash for her parents .

Even Bakugo, who wanted to be the best of the best, was willing to protect, to do everything in his power to defeat the bad guys, to win .

Nico, however? He was just doing it to survive.

It felt less worthy among the other hero trainees, but he wasn't technically one of them, was he? He was just here because he needed to be protected.

Wow, thoughts. You really ruin every moment.

When school was over and the other students were returning to their dorms, he was called to speak with Nezu, the principal. ..who was a rat. He couldn't even keep the surprise off his face.

He wondered briefly if monsters had chilled down and adapted to taking the forms of animals and no longer seeking demigod blood to stay alive or something, but it could've just been a normal animal who'd gotten a quirk suddenly like other mortals supposedly (he really needed to research that but one, he was dyslexic, and two, he'd heard mentions in history about quirk wars, in which, the winners likely wrote everything so it was useless anyway). It wasn't like he could just ask , it was rude!

Nezu (who he would've tried to see similarities between him and Chiron, if not for how he could kind of see a more exasperated Chiron who would do anything to protect his kids campers in Aizawa already) explained to him how it would be a good idea for Nico to attempt the Provisional Hero Licensing Exam, so he'd have permission to use his ability (which, of course the principal knew that he didn't have a quirk– didn't stop him from jerking in surprise) in an emergency where they might be unable to protect him.

Nico nodded, hands subconsciously going towards his ring finger (holding a ring from Bianca). "Would I be able to leave? Not forever, of course, but I have a few.. ideas . I'd like to try to get a hold of some people, but the only person I know of that could reach them would be me."

The principal stared at him with calculating eyes. "Under two conditions for now. One, I ask that you share this information with me. If it sounds reasonable, I will do everything in my power to help you. I won't share it with anyone else unless you give me permission, but I have connections that can lead you a long way, Di Angelo-kun. The second would be for you to bring the proper means to protect yourself. Such as bringing a teacher to accompany you. You are not required to explain to them what you are doing, I just ask that you have a trained professional to keep an eye out."

"Swear on the Styx ." He spoke, almost as a habit for any deal made.

"The Styx? You mean the river from Greek Mythology, perhaps?" Nezu repeated, as if almost amused if the way his eyes narrowed, and the sight tilt upward of his mouth said anything.

"I will explain everything to you if you swear on the river."

"I swear on the River Styx that everything I have said prior in this meeting is true."

Lightning crackled in the distance ( "How peculiar.") , as he sighed in relief at the fact that the gods still existed. Somewhere. Even if they might not be in Japan , someone was still listening. He also kinda hated that it was Zeus that had to show a sign first, but you win some you lose some.

"And I swear on the River Styx that I will share the truth with Nezu, and bring the proper means to protect myself on my quest."

Another crackled, and he met eyes with Nezu and spoke.